


dream a little dream of me

by mightythirst



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Slow Burn, With A Twist
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-02-24 09:06:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13210497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mightythirst/pseuds/mightythirst
Summary: Jack started driving for Lyft as a way to keep life interesting in Bloomington, Indiana. One night he gives a ride to a handsome stranger by the name of Gabriel Reyes and his life gets turned on its head.





	1. Chapter 1

It’s been a slow night. Slower than usual for a Friday evening in the small city of Bloomington. Jack has only had to drive a few drunk college kids home. 

His most recent clients had been a boisterous group, loud and crammed into all the backseats of his minivan. He hadn’t minded them much. They must have been at a costume party, because one was wearing a cowboy hat and he caught a glimpse of some silken blue robe in his rearview mirror.

He actually laughed when one of them, a young punk with bright green hair, asked him if he knew what a DILF was with all the innocence of sin itself. His friends reacted with a surprising amount of scolding and outrage on his behalf before he could get a word in.

One of the young women with lines of pink makeup on her cheeks had even offered him a generous tip by way of apology, but he turned it down. He waved her off, asking only that she heed some advice: to have everyone drink at least two cups of water before they went to bed. She promised she would, adding on a sly, “ _Daddio_ ” before she took off and left Jack shaking his head but smiling.

Jack is happy to drive drunk college students home. It keeps the roads a little safer, and they usually make for entertaining guests in his minivan. Sure, their business means he has to equip the backseats with the same little paper vomit bags found on airplanes, but it’s a small price to pay for the peace of mind.

He’s leaning back in his seat, absently listening to the classic rock station and wondering if he should call it a night, when his phone screen lights up with a loud digital chime and a bright notification. Someone by the name of Gabriel Reyes needs a ride from their small airport to the hotel across town.

It’s a little out of the way, but at this time of night, the fare is a little higher, making it well worth it. Doesn’t hurt that the guy in the small icon next to the name has a beautiful smile. Jack accepts the rider and shifts gears, making his way over to the airport on the fastest route he knows in spite of what the app’s map guide tells him. 

Jack has lived in Bloomington practically his whole life. He doesn’t need his phone to tell him how to get anywhere.

He pulls into the arrivals gate and scans the small crowd of people waiting for a ride. When he spots Gabriel, he feels his face get a little warmer. If he thought the man was handsome in his little icon picture, seeing him in person wearing a perfectly tailored suit makes Jack wish he owned a fancy sports car instead of an old beat up minivan. The phrase tall, dark, and handsome is an understatement, unworthy of Gabriel Reyes.

Jack tries to collect himself as he parks and turns on his flashers.

Be cool, he tells himself as he gets out and steps around to greet the man. Technically it’s not required of him to help load luggage in the back, but Jack likes getting out and helping. He’s never been good with staying stationary for too long.

“Mr. Reyes?” It’s policy to confirm the rider, and Jack’s a stickler for the rules.

“Just Gabriel is fine, thank you,” the man replies with a smile that makes Jack wonder how his stomach learned to dance without his knowledge or consent.

“Okay, Gabriel.” Jack nods. “Can I take that off your hands?” he asks, motioning to the sleek black suitcase at Gabriel’s side. The man doesn’t look like he would have any trouble lifting it, but Jack offers all the same.

“Sure, knock yourself out.”

“Um, right, okay. You can go ahead and have a seat while I get this in.” Jack pushes the button that slides the side door open and tries not to do anything stupid as he reaches for the suitcase. Of course that doesn’t work out as planned. He ends up getting in Gabriel’s way and they do an awkward dance of trying to figure out which way to go before Jack pauses.

“Please, after you.”

Jack learns Gabriel’s laughter is even more beautiful than his bright smile. 

“Aw, but I liked dancing with you,” he lightly teases before stepping around Jack and completely ignoring the side door. Nope. To Jack’s astonishment, he opens the passenger door and takes shotgun.

Well then.

That’s not something he gets everyday. Most, if not all, of his single-passenger customers prefer sitting in the back and staring at their phones while he drives.

Jack quickly but carefully loads Gabriel’s suitcase into the back of the van. When he gets back behind the wheel, Gabriel is sitting there, drumming his fingers against the armrest to the beat of the song, no phone in hand.

“Queen fan?” Jack asks conversationally as he puts on his seat belt.

“Pretty damn sure it’s a prerequisite to being gay.”

Jack has to pause a beat and let the statement sink in. This man, who is as handsome as he is sharp, is gay. A voice in the back of his head is screaming at him for not wearing a nicer shirt. Another voice, which is slightly calmer, is telling him it doesn’t matter because Gabriel Reyes clearly isn’t from around Bloomington and he’s definitely not staying here for good.

He’s also way out of his league.

Jack swallows a sigh and nods. “Well, these days, I’d say old and gay. The kids only know the hits, like Bohemian Rhapsody.”

His comment eases a chuckle out of Gabriel. “At least they can appreciate that much, yeah?”

Jack hums in agreement, letting the song fill in the quiet spaces between them. It’s one of his favorites: Good Ol’ Fashioned Lover Boy.

“So, you do this full-time?” Gabriel asks when the song ends and there’s a commercial break.

Jack turns the volume down before he replies, “Only part-time. Mostly on the weekends and in the evenings. When there’s no work on the farm for me to do.”

“You’re a farmer.” It’s not a question, but the surprise in Gabriel’s voice is evident. He can feel the man’s gaze on him even if he can’t take his eyes off the road to confirm it.

“Took over when my Ma finally convinced the old man to finally retire,” Jack explains, hitching his shoulders in a shrug. 

“You don’t have to answer if this is too personal, but did you want to?” Gabriel asks.

It’s a question that Jack has pointedly avoided for the past five years.

“Isn’t this usually the other way around?” Jack chuckles, shaking his head. “The passenger is supposed to be the one making the confessions. Not the driver.”

“Like I said, you don’t have to tell me. Just curious – don’t meet a handsome gay farmer everyday.”

Jack may tap on the brakes a little too roughly when he catches a red light. Not on purpose. Luckily Gabriel takes the rough stop in stride, without comment.

“It was my parents’ life’s work. It didn’t seem right to let that go,” Jack finally settles on saying even if it’s not an answer to the question Gabriel is asking.

“Don’t tell me– corn and sunflowers?”

“A small crop of soybeans, too.”

“Two major cash crops, and you do this on the side?”

Jack shrugs. “I like to keep busy, and the majority of my customers are drunk college kids who need a safe ride home. Makes life more interesting than the cornfields.”

Gabriel makes a wordless noise of agreement.

“Anyways, enough about me.” Jack feels self-conscious after sharing so much about himself to a stranger. “What brings you to Bloomington?”

“I work for an underground international task force,” Gabriel replies easily. “I’m here on a covert mission to gather intel and bring back a special agent under deep sleep.”

“So, you’re an accountant?” Jack asks, smirking.

Sure, he’s heard a lot of great cover-ups, but none come close in creativity to the one Gabriel gave him.

“Knew I shouldn’t have worn the suit,” Gabriel grumbles. “It’s a dead give-away.”

Jack laughs. “I always figured accountants need to have an imagination, or else die of boredom. So, you like action movies?”

“You’ve got no idea.” 

Gabriel sounds less amused than before, which makes Jack frown. Had he said something wrong? Did Gabriel take offense to his joke about accountants?

“Sorry – I shouldn’t have assumed accounting is a boring profession. That was rude of me.”

“What?” Gabriel sounds genuinely confused. He lets out an honest, surprised laugh when the apology registers, like his mind is returning from elsewhere. “No, don’t worry about that. It’s nothing – I’m just tired is all. Long flight. Mind if I turn up the music again? Think I hear the Stones.”

Jack nods and tries not to feel disappointed when any chance of reviving the conversation is lost to a Rolling Stones song he hasn’t heard in awhile. It must have been something he said. Gabriel went from warm to cold in a flash.

So much for that.

Jack glances at the ETA on the app. It says fifteen minutes until he reaches Gabriel’s hotel. He could be there in ten, but he decides to follow the route shown. It may be stupid, pointless, and betray that he’s completely hopeless, but Jack finds himself reluctant to part ways with Gabriel.

He becomes so lost in his head that he doesn’t notice he’s been humming along to the song until Gabriel asks him, “You sing?”

“What? Oh! No, not really.” Jack nervously laughs and shakes his head.

“It’s alright if you do. I won’t laugh.” Jack honestly can’t tell if he’s teasing or if he means it. The man sounds earnest, but Jack is blushing too much to look over and see if Gabriel is secretly smirking at him. 

“I appreciate that, but I like my five-star rating too much to subject you to my singing.”

“ _That’s too bad, sunflower. I’d love to hear you sing for me._ ”

The reply is spoken softly in Spanish, a language Jack has learned out of the necessity of hiring seasonal migrant workers for a few years. Jack is pretty sure this night isn’t real. 

Maybe that green haired punk slipped something into his mug of coffee. Gabriel Reyes, the gorgeous gay man of his dreams, thinks he’s secretly flirting with him and he doesn’t know what to do.

Make a witty reply back in Spanish? Nope. He can understand the language well enough, but his verbal skills are elementary at best. Say nothing and continue to stare at the road? No, he doesn’t want to come across like he’s ignoring Gabriel.

Jack knows he’s overthinking it when he hears Gabriel swear under his breath.

“You understood that, didn’t you?”

“Uh, what?” Jack decides playing dumb is the safe, albeit dishonest, route.

“ _You don’t understand me, pretty boy?_ ” Gabriel asks, and Jack is blushing too much to remember he’s supposed to be unaware of what the man is saying.

“ _Sorry, I’m–_ ” Jack struggles to remember the verb. He can’t think straight in English, let alone speak in Spanish.

“ _Not interested?_ ” Gabriel supplies in a casual tone, like it wouldn’t bother him either way, and that only makes Jack’s grip on the steering wheel tighten.

Jack doesn’t even hesitate. “No, it’s not that.”

“Then what?”

“I’m out of practice,” Jack replies, because why lie?

“With speaking Spanish, or flirting?” Gabriel asks, a huff of laughter chasing the question.

“Both.”

The admission is made right as Jack pulls into the valet of the hotel and parks behind a taxi. Luckily it’s so late, there’s no one there rushing to open the doors and drag Gabriel away. Jack parks the minivan and finally turns to face the man.

Gabriel is smiling at him, but there’s still something off about his smile. Jack can’t put his finger on it. It’s happy but sad. Bittersweet? Jack is the first to break eye contact, unable to keep meeting the man’s calm gaze. He’s overthinking. Everything.

“ _It’s okay, sunflower. We’re both a little rusty._ ”

“You seem to be doing just fine,” Jack points out, but his playfulness overshadows the accusation.

“It’s not my fault you blush so easily,” Gabriel replies with an innocent shrug.

Jack can feel the tips of his ears starting to warm up. “It’s not fair. You have me at a disadvantage.”

“Look, I–” they both start at the same time, stop, and stare at each other before laughing.

Gabriel is the first to regain his composure. “Alright, you first.”

They are both stalling and Jack knows it. The notification on his screen is yelling it. It says ‘You have arrived at your destination’ in big bold letters with the confirmation box below. He’s supposed to confirm that he’s completed the ride.

Jack finally leans forward and taps the screen. The notification disappears. Another one pops up. A new passenger in need of a ride. Jack bites the inside of his cheek. He knows what he should do, but it doesn’t line up with what he wants to do.

Jack quietly sighs and looks down at his lap.

“I should let you rest. You said it yourself– you’re tired and you’ve had a long flight.”

Gabriel doesn’t have an immediate reply, which only makes Jack inwardly wince even more. Yup. He’s hopeless.

There’s an incredible man waving flashing ‘let’s fuck’ signs at him and he looks the other way, oblivious.

“Alright, Jack.” 

A matte grey card enters his field of vision. Gabriel leaves it on the center console.

“I’d like to see you again – hopefully soon.”

Jack looks up, but before he can think of something to say, Gabriel is out of the van and getting his luggage out of the back.

* * *

There is barely any conversation between Jack and the next rider he picks up outside one of Bloomington’s high-end restaurants.

The woman confirms she’s Sofie Gervais, then spends the rest of the drive talking with someone on the phone in French. Even though it’s another romantic language, Jack can’t understand a word. 

Even if he could, he’s distracted. He’s too busy thinking about Gabriel and the business card in his pocket. The man’s invitation replays in his mind’s eye over and over again. 

Jack follows the route on autopilot, hardly thinking about where he is going. He only knows that he’s getting further and further away from a man with a soft smile, curls he wants to run his fingers through, and an intense, soul-searching gaze.

Jack wonders how long he should wait to call Gabriel. He should wait until tomorrow. He shouldn’t text him as soon as he drops off his passenger. That would scream desperate.

“Can you please pull into the driveway?” asks the woman, hauling Jack away from the tug-o-war match going on in his head.

Jack thought he knew Bloomington, but this is a part of the city that is less familiar to him. The houses are newer. A lot of them gated, and the majority are much bigger than any of the homes he’s seen in the suburbs. They make his own house look like a shack by comparison.

“Yeah, sure.”

Jack doesn’t think much of it. It’s not an uncommon request. Especially not from women riding alone at the middle of the night. 

He pulls into the driveway of a dark colonial and dims his headlights. He can see the lawn is well manicured. Each hedge perfectly trimmed. Every blade of grass the same shade of green. Miss or Mrs. Gervais must be a very wealthy woman. Strange - he always figured rich people would have their own drivers or nice sports cars to drive.

Jack mentally shrugs and presses the button to slide the door on her side open.

“Have a goodnight, Ma’am,” he says, tapping his phone screen to confirm another successful drop-off.

Tempted as he is to check if Gabriel left him a rating or any customer feedback, he closes the app, figuring he should call it a night.

“Merci.”

Jack has little time to consider why the sound of her voice sounds so close to his ear. There’s no warning before a cloth covers his face and the wet smell of chemicals fills his nostrils.

Everything goes dark.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tempted as i was to sit on this for a few days, i couldn't resist the urge to add a new - albeit small - chapter today. happy new year everyone! （＾ｖ＾）

A bright light hits the back of Jack’s eyelids. He wants to sleep more, but the harsh whiteness of light makes him aware that his back is pressed against a cold metallic surface and he can’t move his arms.

“Oh, sorry, here-”

The light softens enough that Jack can crack one eye, and then the other, open.

“There, a little better, hm?”

The voice is feminine and accented. Swiss, maybe? Jack has always wanted to take a vacation in Switzerland. Go backpacking. Maybe try skiing. Ride the train from forest pines to grand peaks. Eat lots of real chocolate instead of the chalk Americans try to pass off as chocolate.

“Hello, Jack.”

The woman hovers over him. She has grey blue eyes and strands of blonde hair frame her pretty face.

How does this woman know his name? And why can’t he speak to return the greeting?

“You should feel calm,” she says, and even though he sees her bring a hand to his cheek, he barely feels it.

“You should also feel nothing by now. Do you feel this?” Jack can only see that she’s lightly pinching his cheek, but he feels nothing. “Please blink twice if you can.”

She waits but he doesn’t blink because he cannot.

“Good, very good.”

The woman smiles down at him, but the smile looks similar to the not-happy smile Gabriel had given him yesterday.

_Gabriel._

Splinters of memories slowly filter in.

Jack remembers being indirectly called a DILF. Driving to the airport. Picking up Gabriel Reyes. Snippets of Spanish. A business card. The colonial houses. French filling the backseat of his minivan. Having a cloth slipped over his mouth.

He realizes there is something very wrong happening here, but he cannot muster a reaction. He feels at peace.

“I’m going to do my best to ensure you feel no pain, Jack.”

Jack blankly watches as she slips a needle into his arm, hooking him into an IV. 

“I’m sorry this is happening to you, but you’re the perfect candidate.”

There are more needles and tubes added to other parts of his body. Machines start beeping. One of them must be a heart monitor. The sound is predictable, steady. He finds it soothing.

“You are healthy and strong, with no children, romantic partner, or surviving family to speak of,” she continues as she works.

It’s true, all true. Jack has no one. He doesn’t think of it as being a sad thing. It is a fact.

“Please think of this as a noble sacrifice. Your body is going to be used by a brilliant engineer. A man who has a large family– eight children and a beautiful wife.”

The woman disappears from his limited view, but he can still hear her voice behind him.

“He fell very ill a year ago, just when he was on the cusp of a major breakthrough for science. I want you to know this, because his work may very well change the course of history for the better. You’re giving him the time he needs to have a chance at creating sustainable world peace. Your life for his will have meaning.”

Jack realizes, then, that he’s never going to get a chance to try those Swiss chocolates. Or see Gabriel smile with his eyes.

“If you feel anything, I promise it won’t be for long. I will complete the procedure swiftly,” the woman assures him before Jack hears what sounds like a power drill right by his ear. It’s so loud, neither of them seem to notice another person entering the room until he hears clapping.

“Great speech. Really moving, Doctor Ziegler.”

That voice. 

Jack distantly comes to the realization that he knows that deep yet soft voice.

The drilling sound quiets to a slow whirr. It’s on, but not at full speed.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” the woman demands, her once gentle voice harsh and cold.

Gabriel ignores the question. “Too bad you left out the part about your engineer creating death massive machines to achieve sustainable peace.”

“The omnics are not death machines! They have souls - they think and feel, just as you and I.”

“Let’s save the debate for later.” Gabriel’s voice is closer. Right behind him. “My name is Agent Reyes. Lower the drill and do it slowly. I’ve got clearance to shoot on sight and I promise I won’t hesitate to use it.”

An agent? No, Gabriel is an accountant.

Jack thinks it’s a bluff until he hears the click of a safety being turned off. After that, he doesn’t doubt the man for a second and he hopes the woman won’t either. He doesn’t want Gabriel to be a killer.

“There’s no need for senseless violence.” The woman sighs. The whirr sounds further away than it did before.

“Then do as I say. Turn it off and put it down.”

The drill goes quiet and Jack hears the soft clatter of it fall on a metallic tray.

“Good. Now put your hands behind your back.”

Jack can only guess that Gabriel is handcuffing the woman.

“Som? Yeah, it’s all clear. Doctor Ziegler is in my custody. Send units for retrieval and tell Lucio to get his ass in here immediately.”

Finally, Gabriel comes into view. Jack feels a tremendous wave of relief wash over him. He’s elated to see the man’s familiar face.

“Hey Jack,” Gabriel murmurs, tone low. In the light, Jack can see his deep brown eyes have flecks of gold in them. They are soft and sorrowful. “I’m going to explain everything later. _We’re going to have you out of here soon, sunflower_.”

The urge to speak is so great. Jack feels his eyes prickle and sting as the helplessness hits him like a delayed suckerpunch.

“The euphoric sedative is already starting to wear off. Give him fluids and it should be completely out of his system in about an hour. I expect the paralysis will last another day or so – I didn’t want him to suffer,” the woman says, her voice full of resignation.

Jack wishes he could feel the thumb that brushes the tears off his face.

“Keep being helpful and maybe, just maybe, you won’t rot in a cell for the rest of your days,” Gabriel mutters.

It’s not long after he makes the comment that the door swings open and the thud of combat boots hitting the floor fills the room.

“Sir.”

“I want two with her at all times until we have Doctor Ziegler here secure in a holding cell.”

“Yes sir.”

The thudding boots leave the room, but there’s no peace and quiet in Jack’s foreseeable future. 

A new voice exclaims, “Woah! They have him hooked up real good to these life supports.”

A sympathetically smiling face pops over his. The man has a green headband keeping colorfully beaded dreads in place.

“Hey there. My name’s Lucio. Try looking up for me - yep, just like that! Need to check your pupils.” A flashlight shines into his eyes. “Okay, not bad. So you’re the guy that’s made Reyes a softie? I can see why.” 

Jack might have laughed at Gabriel’s warning growl if he could.

“Is anything bad going to happen if we disconnect him from these things?”

Jack had been wondering the same thing, and is relieved when Lucio shakes his head.

“Nah, should be fine. I think these were hooked up for after – uh,” Lucio quickly looks at Jack, as if remembering he can hear him, “the post-op.”

“Then get him unplugged and let’s get the hell out of here. Som?” Jack doesn’t hear anyone else around and figures Gabriel is either on his phone or talking to an earpiece. “Send in your team. I want everything in here tagged and bagged, and a full sweep with five units scanning. Start with a ten mile radius - it can’t be just the Doctor and a few lousy guards...”

Soon Jack finds himself lying limply on a soft stretcher and being wheeled out of what looks like a long abandoned office building. At least his limited view of the hallway and dilapidated ceiling tells him the building has seen better days. He can relate.

Jack is beginning to wonder what, exactly, Doctor Ziegler had planned for his body when he sees Lucio frowning over at him, his brow pinched in concern.

“Your heart rate is beginning to pick up. Probably freaking out, huh? You’ve been through a lot, Farmer Jack. How about you listen to this,” Lucio says, slipping a pair of headphones over his ears. Soothing music begins to play and Jack finds it’s actually relaxing.

It takes time, but eventually he’s able to shut his eyes. He trusts that wherever they’re taking him, he’s in good hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> still strapped in? good. hope you're enjoying it so far!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> time to wake up, jack.

When Jack wakes up, he can feel soft warm fleece bed sheets around him. He has only a moment to enjoy it before the panic comes hurtling in. Eyes flying open, he jerks upright in the bed that’s too stiff to be his own and blearily searches his surroundings.

“Jack? Shit, be careful, you’ll rip your IV out,” Gabriel warns.

The man is immediately at his bedside, and his presence is a balm to Jack’s alarms. He momentarily pauses and thinks better of ripping the needle out of his arm.

“Where am I?” he asks, glad he can speak even if his voice comes out gravelly and hoarse.

“A special medical facility. It’s classified. But you’re safe, Jack, I swear.”

Jack pinches the bridge of his nose. There’s a spot, on the left side of his temple, that’s starting to throb.

“What the actual fuck happened yesterday?”

Gabriel winces.

“It’s actually been two days since we recovered you, Jack.” 

“I’ve been out that long? Christ… Dolores is going to be starving.”

“I’ve got some men over at your farm, looking after things,” Gabriel assures him, grabbing a cup from the bedside table and filling it with water. Jack doesn’t realise how thirsty he is until Gabriel puts the cup in his hands. He drinks like a man dying of thirst while Gabriel continues, “Your dog is fed. Can’t promise much about your crops, but we’ll reimburse for any losses. Seems like the least we can do, after all you’ve been through.”

Jack puts the empty cup down and falls back heavily against the bed. His head hurts and he needs to take a piss, but he wants more answers first.

“Who are you, Gabriel?”

“I told you part of the truth when we met.” Gabriel smiles, but he only looks more tired. “I’m a commanding officer for a special division of an international task force.”

A warm hand comes to rest on Jack’s arm, and even though he should pull away from it, Jack doesn’t move. 

“You were kidnapped by a criminal organization that we’ve been trying to take down for the past three years. They’ve got a track record for all sorts of fucked up shit. We usually find the remnants of the people they kidnap and experiment on to develop weapons with artificial intelligence and cyborg units.” 

Jack takes a deep, shuddery breath, as he remembers the sound of the drill and the eerie sense of calm he felt while Doctor Ziegler told him that some man was going to put his body to better use. 

“How did you know?” he asks. “That they were going after me?”

“A few days ago we intercepted an encryption. One of our agents specializes in cybernetics. She was able to piece together that you were their target. The card I gave you was a tracking device.”

“Oh.”

Jack pauses. He doesn’t want to ask, but he knows he’s not going to be able to rest unless he knows.

“How did you know I wouldn’t throw out the card?”

“Well–” When Gabriel looks torn between amused and apologetic, Jack knows it’s going to be bad. “We had to figure out who you were.”

“And that means?”

“Som took a look at your browser history.”

“Oh my god.”

Pulling away from Gabriel’s touch, Jack covers his red face with his hands at the same time his heart sinks. 

It was all part of the mission: Gabriel pretended to be gay and flirtatious in order to keep the tracking device on him. Gabriel was merely doing his job. Som, whoever she is, knows all his dirty secrets.

Jack wishes the bed would swallow him whole.

“C’mon, _sunflower_ , it’s nothing to be ashamed about,” Gabriel says, chuckling. “Your thick lingerie daddy thing is pretty tame compared to some of the stuff I’ve jerked off to.”

Knowing that Gabriel _knows_ the peculiars of what he’s into and wasn’t just told in a vague way that he’s gay makes Jack’s face feel like it’s on fire.

“Not helping.”

“Jack–”

“Do you have any high tech devices that wipe memories? Like Men in Black? Because I’d like to forget this ever happened,” Jack pleads, one hundred percent sincere. 

He wishes Gabriel would go to the chair by the wall and let the blood vessels beneath the skin of his cheeks burn out in peace. Somewhere in the space of trying to use his hands as a shield, the commander decides to perch on the edge of the bed. Too close to miss Jack mutter under his breath, “Let me go back to my pathetic existence in peace.”

“We could do that, but do you really want to go through with it?” 

Jack looks over at Gabriel scrubbing a hand over his jaw, all traces of amusement gone. His dark eyes bore into Jack with an intensity that makes him feel like the man is appraising his soul. But Jack is tired of being scrutinized. He’s had enough with people prying into his life. He’s the first to look away. 

“This is a lot to take in,” Gabriel says. “You’ve been through hell, Jack. Take some time to rest and process…” and his voice lowers before he tacks on, “before you do something that can’t be undone.”

Jack doesn’t need to think about it. Blissful ignorance has never sounded better. He knows what he wants: to be back in his own bed, curled up with Dolores; unaware that an international task force knows he’s a subscriber to Thicc Daddy; oblivious to the fact that he was kidnapped and nearly harvested by a maniac for his body; ignorant of all knowledge that Commander Gabriel Reyes had used him as bait and led him on simply for the sake of a mission. 

Jack curls up on his side, facing away from the man. He knows he shouldn’t take it personally. The man was simply doing his job. Yet it stings all the same. “I just want to go home, Mr. Reyes.”

“I know.” Gabriel lets out a low sigh. The mattress springs squeak and the bed shifts beneath him when the man stands up. “You’ll be able to go home after you’re cleared for discharge and we’re able to confirm they didn’t do anything to you.”

“And how long is that going to take?”

“That’s not really up to me.”

The hand is back, this time resting on his shoulder briefly before it lifts away. Jack bitterly wonders if Gabriel is this touchy-feely with everyone. Or if he realizes that each touch only makes Jack hurt more.

“I’ll be back to check in on you later,” the commander continues, his voice further away, which is fine by Jack. He wants a good sulk, preferably one in privacy. “I’m going to send in an agent to bring you food and whatever else you need while you’re here. There’s a private bathroom behind the door on the left.”

A pause hangs in the air.

“And it’s either Gabriel or Gabe, Jack. You pick.”

Jack waits until he hears the door shut before he gets up and quickly but carefully wheels his drip with him into the bathroom to relieve himself. It’s one of those rooms with a sink, a toilet, and a small shower all crammed together with only a clear plastic curtain to act as a divider. In the mirror, Jack takes stock. The hospital gown he’s wearing is pink, there are dark circles under his eyes, and he’s in bad need of a shave. Jack has only finished washing his hands when there’s a knock at the door.

“Who is it?”

“Agent McCree, sir,” a voice with a distinctive southwestern accent replies.

Jack considers turning the agent away, but his stomach decides to veto that idea with a growl. “Alright, come in.”

A young man wearing a cowboy hat walks in holding a covered tray in his arms and Jack swears he has a moment of deja vu. Then he realizes why McCree seems familiar.

“You… you were in my van. I picked you and your friends up,” he says, frowning as more of the night he was kidnapped becomes pieced together. “At least I thought they were your friends. Let me guess. All junior agents, planting bugs in my van?”

“Yeah, sorry ‘bout that.” The agent smiles apologetically as he puts down the tray on a table. “I swear, none of us knew Genji was gonna pull that DILF shit. Reyes practically ripped him a new hole for that one.”

Jack smiles faintly despite himself and sits down on the bed, using a pillow to cushion his back against the wall.

“It’s alright. Between you and me, I actually thought it was pretty funny at the time.”

“I knew it!”

Another familiar face pokes in, because with his arms full, McCree had left his door slightly ajar. As much as he wanted to sulk, Jack finds he minds less. It’s the same young lady that offered him a tip for his troubles.

“Hey Daddio,” she says, strolling in but thankfully closing the door behind her. Jack is pretty sure the room has reached max capacity for his mental state. “I’m Agent Song. Glad you’re still with us. Sorry about - you know - everything.” She waves her hand in a vague gesture.

“It’s alright. You were just doing your job.” Jack isn’t just saying that to mollify her - he believes it, deep down.

“Well, I know it ain’t much, but I brought you some grub. Wasn’t sure what you’d like so…” Jesse trails off, uncovering the tray to reveal a mishmash of different plates and cups of food. There’s fries, steamed veggies, a PB&J sandwich, a slice of pizza, refried beans, fruit, and a cup of Jello. 

Jack looks at the spread and is reasonably certain he’s going to eat everything, even if it will definitely lead him down a path to heartburn later.

“Thank you, McCree. I think this’ll be enough to put me into a food coma.”

“No problem, pardner.” McCree tips his hat. “‘Least I can do ya.”

He expects that to be that and the two to leave him in peace, but Agent Song gasps.

“Jesse! You can’t give this man Jello after all he’s been through.” She grabs the cup with swift reflexes and tears the lid off. “Don’t worry, Pops. I’ll take care of this for you.”

“Maybe he _wanted_ that, you ol’ rattle snatcher.”

“It’s alright, really.” McCree looks unconvinced, but Jack continues undeterred. “I’ve got enough food here for days.”

For a fleeting moment he feels sympathetic for Gabriel. Keeping his agents in line must be like herding kittens. He can imagine what a handful they are to manage. Troublesome, but too cute and likeable for the likes of harsh discipline.

Agent Song, who eventually becomes Hana, and Agent McCree, who naturally falls into becoming Jesse, chat with and sometimes talk around Jack while he eats. The two tend to follow tangents, poking fun at each other while they share tidbits of information with Jack about past missions. He finds out they actually did need a ride home because they had found a karaoke bar and Genji’s brother (who Hana swears is Jesse’s boyfriend despite his red-faced objection) had ordered sake and it all went downhill from there.

“You know,” Hana begins conspiratorially, just when Jack thinks if he has one more bite of food he’s going to explode. He pops another french fry into his mouth as he shakes his head. “Originally Genji volunteered to be the one who flirted the tracking device on you. But Reyes shot him down, said he wasn’t your type and it wouldn’t work.”

Jack is too busy trying not to choke on the fry to respond, but Jesse folds his arms and frowns at Hana.

“You won’t let the poor fella eat Jello, but you’re gonna bother him about that?”

“Okay, okay,” Hana relents. “Excuse me for being curious.” She drops her chin into her palm with a pout. “It’s just not everyday we get to see our commander doing that kind of thing, you know? He’s usually happy to let Genji do his seduction thing. We rarely get to see him on the ground.”

Jack feels his stomach turn. Suddenly he’s lost his appetite.

“I don’t know, but I’m starting to feel pretty tired. Might be the food coma kicking in,” Jack mumbles, because he doesn’t want to talk about Gabriel Reyes and why he decided to personally get a tracking device on his person. If the agents don’t know the true reasons, it’s a small mercy Reyes kept his web browser history confidential.

“Alright, we’ll leave ya be.” Jesse gathers up the tray. “Y’probably need some more rest, even if you were out for a few days.”

“Yeah… okay.” There must be a merciful god watching over Jack somewhere, because Hana relents. She sits up and stretches, a loud yawn catching her unawares. “I swear, these fluorescents suck the life-force away.” She glares up at the lights above the bed accusatorily.

After Jack is done with the yawn he caught from Hana, he nods and rubs at the corner of his eye. Now that some questions have been answered and his stomach in full, he feels tired. It wasn’t a complete lie to get them out.

“I think you may be right.”

“Well, s’good thing they dim. There’s a remote on the left side if y’want them off.” Jesse lowers the lights before he tips his head. “See ya later, Jack.”

“Yell if you need anything. Or if you get bored!” Hana adds, waving before she follows Jesse out of the room.

Only when the door shuts behind them does Jack ease back down under the covers. He means to rest his eyes, but his stubborn hold on staying awake slips away faster than sand through fingers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for all the lovely feedback so far! your comments give me life. <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more answers, more questions.

_“Jackie.”_

_Blind, Jack turns towards the voice. It sounds far away, but in a moment he's not so sure._

_Warm, calloused skin grazes against his cheek. Fingers worn by time, and by work._

_“When are you going to wake up, Jackie?”_

_A ragged inhalation. A slow controlled exhale._

_“We need you back.”_

_A choked laugh. It is small and delicate. More vulnerable than a bird with a clipped wing._

_“I- I need you back.”_

_The warmth leaves his face._

_He cannot reach for it or beckon it back. He cannot scream that he is awake. The silence surrounds him and there is nothing else to chase but the wisps of things he cannot name until he cannot remember why he is running himself breathless._

* * *

It's impossible not to wake up with the same initial confusion until the mental fog clears away. Jack’s eyes automatically fly to the chair in the corner of the room. He doesn't know why he’s disappointed to find it empty. He doesn't know why he expected to see someone there in the first place.

Jack smothers out a sigh.

There wouldn't be anyone to visit him if he were in a normal hospital, and here he is in the medical bay of an international task force. Who would possibly be there watching over him while he slept?

Jack has no one and it’s a fact of life repeatedly thrown in his face.

With no windows, no clock, and no phone, it’s impossible to tell how long he’s been out. He can only hope it was a few hours and not days. The farm won’t survive if he's gone for much longer, and he can only imagine how unhappy Dolores is without him there. The border collie whines every time he goes out for his ride-sharing evenings. He hopes Gab–

No, he hopes Commander Reyes’s men, have been taking good care of her. 

Jack makes a mental note to ask Jesse if he can check in on Dolores. Maybe he can take a video for him, or something. He’s contemplating how he can convince the cowboy to tell him when someone knocks at the door.

“Jack?”

It’s Reyes.

Jack sits up and steels himself. 

“Come in.”

The commander enters, looking more like a civilian in his dark baggy hoodie and grey cargoes. He’s followed by a shorter man in lime green scrubs. It doesn't take Jack long to recognize him. It's the same medic who helped rescue him.

“Hey, how’s it going?” The man smiles brightly. “I’m Lucio.”

“I remember you.”

Gabriel stares, blinking owlishly. “You remember him?” 

He looks astonished, and Jack doesn't understand why. He may have been paralyzed when Gabriel found him, but he wasn't unconscious. He had been awake for that living nightmare.

“Yeah- he was with you when you got me away from that creepy Swiss doctor, wasn't he?”

“Spot on!”

“Right.” Gabriel looks oddly deflated, but he nods. “Still fucked up that she had you conscious for all that,” he mutters.

Lucio gives the Commander a small pat on the shoulder before he walks around to the side of Jack’s bed.

“I still can’t believe that they were gonna attempt a brain transplant with you. I mean– first of all, _how even?_ Second of all, it was only her, and she’s good, but she’s no neurosurgeon who can just do that impossible procedure on her own. Ziegler’s mad!”

Jack sits there, stunned. 

Of course he had his suspicions, based on the whole monologue Doctor Ziegler had delivered - but somehow it hadn’t fully sunk in that the doctor had intended to perform a brain transplant, alone, while he was awake, to save the engineer.

“Lucio.” There's an obvious warning in Commander Reyes’s voice. A warning that says: cease and desist.

“Oh, sorry, I thought-” Lucio flounders for a moment, but Jack shakes his head. 

“That’s what almost happened, but it didn’t thanks to Overwatch.” There's a finality in his voice, and Jack only finds it half-forced. Reyes could have easily let him be the sacrificial bait, but here he is: alive and physically unharmed.

His emotions are a different story. A whole book shoved to the back of his mind, kept under lock and key. He can grin and bear it for now if it means getting out sooner. The last thing Jack wants is them keeping him longer than necessary.

“I don’t need it sugar-coated.”

“Good, because I’m shit at sugarcoating,” Gabriel says and Lucio helps break the tension in the room by laughing.

“You got that right, boss.”

Gabriel plops down in the chair in the corner of the room. “Don't think I brought you here to be a smartass, doc,” he replies, hiding his face behind a tablet so that Jack can only hear the mild smile.

“Right, right. I’m working, aren’t I?” Lucio grins lopsidedly at Jack and pulls out a pair of headphones connected to a fancier device in his hands. “Here, Jack. I want you to put these on.”

“Are you going to play more soothing music, or…?” Jack asks, hesitantly placing the headphones over his ears. He’s not sure why else the medic would be having him do this, which only makes his confusion grow when Lucio shakes his head.

“No… but I can later if you want,” he offers, peering up from the screen. “What I’m going to do is play a series of sounds and words. Make sure they didn’t do anything to, uh, your head.”

Jack frowns. “I don’t understand.”

Gabriel sets his tablet down and sighs. “The organization that kidnapped you has some pretty fucked up technology. Lucio here is making sure they didn’t use it on you before we showed up.” 

“With sounds and words?” Jack asks incredulously, frowning. He wishes they would stop trying to withhold information from him.

Lucio glances over at Gabriel. “You want to tell him or me?”

Gabriel taps a finger against the side of his head. “Best way to explain it is… It’s possible they planted a trigger word in your head. Something that’ll turn a mental switch and make you forget who you are. Usually whatever’s left goes AWOL and kills a bunch of people.”

Jack’s mouth goes dry. There have been an increasing number of mass shootings in the news, but he never would’ve guessed that some terrorist organization unknown to the general public was responsible. The same organization that wanted him. His stomach crawls.

“And… if that switch goes off, how will you know before it’s too late?”

“Uh -” For the second time, Lucio looks helplessly over at Gabriel and Jack follows his gaze. The commander’s brow is furrowed with a line that does nothing for Jack’s rising anxiety.

“Let’s just say we recognize the signs.”

“If anything happens, don’t worry! We’ll tranquilize you.” Lucio’s smile is wide but Jack feels no sense of reassurance. 

Gabriel must see it because he rises from his seat and crosses over to the other side of the bed. Jack notices the commander’s hand twitches at his side but stays there. He wonders if Gabriel wants to offer him reassurance by way of touch, or if that’s just his mind being a scumbag with its wishful thinking again. 

“As soon as you finish all these tests, we can have you cleared for discharge. That’s what you want, right?” Gabriel’s soft brown eyes bore into his.

Jack’s throat is dry and itchy as he swallows and nods.

“Yeah. I just want to go home.”

Once more Jack swears he sees something flash in the man’s eyes before the commander turns away and drops back into his seat. “Do this and you’ll be on your way.”

Gabriel looked… disappointed. There’s no other word for it.

“Alright, Jack, we’re gonna get you there as quick as we can.” Lucio once more crowds his field of vision, tearing his attention away from Gabriel. “I wanna say you’ll be done in no time but I’m not gonna lie. These tests may take a few days. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover in terms of sounds, words, and songs… and you’re probably gonna want to take some breaks in between sessions.”

“Right. You’ve got to be thorough. I get it, but do I have to stay in here the whole time? Wearing this?” Jack gestures down to the flimsy hospital gown.

“Tell you what-” Gabriel interjects, “I’ll get you some clothes, and tomorrow we’ll get a guest room and access code prepared for you if Lucio says you’re ready to get off the drip.”

Lucio begins tapping the device in his hands but it’s clear he’s listening. He hums and nods. “I’d say he’ll be good by tomorrow, but I’ll double check everything before I give the greenlight.” 

“Thank you,” Jack murmurs, sinking back against the pillow.

“Alright. Let’s get started.” 

Lucio’s next tap is a sound that Jack doesn’t hear because his ears are suddenly filled with the sound of waves rushing forward and crashing against the shore. It brings back a wisp of an old memory of summers spent at the lake, but nothing more before the waves segue into the sound of a gentle rain that becomes a loud thunderstorm.

“CAN YOU TURN IT DOWN?” Jack winces, almost certain he’s yelling.

“Erm - a little bit, but not much!”

Thankfully the volume goes down enough that Jack no longer feels like his eardrums are in danger of being blasted to smithereens.

Jack’s not sure how much time passes as the testing proceeds. He loses track when the cacophonous sounds of nature transition into foreign languages. Unable to focus, Jack closes his eyes. He swears it’s only for a moment, but a little jostle at his shoulder startles him awake and when his eyes open there’s no more words he can’t understand going in one ear and out the other.

“Alright, I think that’s plenty for today,” Lucio says, removing the headphones. “We’ll pick up where we left off tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Jack says, rubbing at an earlobe. This must be what it feels like to wear heavy earrings, he thinks. Both of his ears hurt. “So, nothing yet?”

“Nope. All clear so far.”

“Good.”

“Now get some rest.” Lucio playfully wags at finger at Jack. “Doctor’s orders.” With a wave to Jack and a nod to the commander, Lucio strolls out of the room.

Jack marshals a smile tired smile. As much as he wants to go home, he’s glad that they’re trying their best to make his stay comfortable. He glances over at Gabriel, expecting the man to follow suit shortly after Lucio, but the commander crosses one leg over the other and looks firmly settled as he gazes back at Jack.

“No offense, but don’t you have better things to be doing than babysitting me?” Jack asks, eyebrows raising.

Jack is surprised when Gabriel laughs, not in the least bit offended by the question.

“It’s amazing, the things I can do from this,” he replies, waving the tablet at Jack. “I’m honestly getting more work done in here than my office.”

“Oh, good.” Jack’s not sure what else to say. He rubs at his other ear before lamely coming up with, “Frequent interruptions?”

“Yeah, but let’s not talk about work.” Gabriel tucks his tablet away and stands up. There’s a small grunt and a series of bones popping and cracking as the man stretches his arms and bows his back. “You hungry?”

Jack realizes he’s famished. 

All the anxiety made him forget that he hasn’t eaten anything since the feast Jesse brought him last night. Now that most of the dread has subsided, his stomach gnaws and growls, displeased. He’s neglected it for long enough.

“Offering to take me out?” Jack asks in a rare moment of playful daring, well aware he’s not getting out of the hospital – base – wherever or whatever they're in – that easily.

He expects Gabriel to laugh, but instead he’s set with a calm look that makes Jack’s stomach tumble in a way that has nothing to do with being empty. The commander seems to be considering the question seriously. Not taking it as a joke.

“I’d make a little more effort than that, sunflower,” Gabriel replies with a hint of a smile that confuses the hell out of Jack. It’s impossible to tell if the man is playing along or being serious, so Jack takes the safe route. He assumes Gabriel is joking, trying to spare his feelings.

“Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me,” Jack says, running with the droll tone. “You seem like the romantic type. Your last date probably got a bouquet of flowers and a cassette of your favorite love songs.”

Gabriel rewards Jack’s theory with a laugh.

“Close,” Gabriel admits when his laughter fades and there it is again - that far away look that makes Jack wonder if the commander ever smiles with his eyes. “It was a cornflower corsage and a CD, because he didn’t have a cassette player.”

Jack’s brain snags on the pronoun. Well. At least Gabriel wasn’t lying to him about his preferences.

“Wow.” Jack whistles low, impressed. “Bringing back prom night and everything.” 

“Yeah,” Gabriel grins, chin ducking. “I even wore a tuxedo.”

Jack tries and fails not to imagine the tuxedo. Even if it was frilly and lavender and hitting every check mark next to tacky, he can't see anything looking bad on the commander.

“Alright, now you’ve got to tell me more.” Jack sighs, as though it's all Gabriel's fault that he's intrigued by the man’s love life. “Did it last long?”

Gabriel scrubs a palm over his jaw, looking like he’s searching for the best way to phrase his reply.

Jack wonders if he’s pried too far, but eventually the commander settles on, “In our line of work, it’s hard to make anything last, but we did our best until we didn’t.”

Jack frowns - far too many questions surge forward, begging to be asked, but the playful tone sharply dropped to something serious. He’s not sure how much more the commander will humor him before he starts questioning Jack’s curiosity. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Don’t be.” Gabriel hitches his shoulders in a shrug, but Jack isn’t entirely convinced he’s not bothered by him prodding old wounds. “Shit happens.”

“Yeah.” Jack nods and decides to let it lie, jumping on the lone buoy in the turbulent sea of his confusing conversations with Gabriel. “So, how about that food?”

“Brunch and actual clothes, coming right up. Hang tight.” 

Oh right. Jack looks down at himself and the flimsy hospital gown.

It’s been a long morning - or maybe day? Jack’s not sure, he’s so beat, but he forces himself to stay awake as he settles back against the pillow and waits for the commander. Maybe, he muses to himself, Gabriel will divulge what it’ll take to make Jesse go check on Dolores. Jack misses her something awful.

* * *

Turns out all it takes is formally meeting Jesse’s not-boyfriend Hanzo and sharing that he has a border collie waiting for him at the farm. The man’s face softens in a way that makes Jack smile before he promises that he and Agent McCree will verify Dolores is well fed and given plenty of affection in his absence. Jack casually mentions he has a guest bedroom and a bottle of whiskey on top of the fridge in case they happen to get stranded out there. He’s delighted by how quickly it makes Jesse tuck down his hat to hide how red his tanned cheeks turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for your wonderful feedback and support! every comment and each kudos gives this wretched soul fuel.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaa, i'm back!
> 
> this is a relatively short chapter because i've been busy writing applications, interviewing, and stress eating hot cheetos.
> 
> you know. adult stuff.

_”Shut it.”_

_“What? I didn’t say anything.”_

_“You didn’t have to say anything. I know how fucking cheesy this is, alright?”_

_“I love it. Honestly. I’m going to listen to this every night.”_

_“_ Shut up. _”_

_Jack laughs and challenges, “Why don’t you make me?”_

_There’s a glint in those soft brown eyes before his face is covered with two large, calloused hands and his lips are sealed with a sweet but firm kiss._

_When it ends, Jack is breathless, gasping for air. He pulls back, but the hands and their owner are gone. He twists, searching, only to find he cannot move. His vertical becomes horizontal, back on a cold surface, straps binding his legs and arms._

_“Ah, Jack. You’re back.”_

_Blonde hair brushes over his cheek and a drill buzzes in his ears, drowning out every scream that Jack wants to make._

_“Don’t worry. It will be over soon.”_

_The buzzing becomes all Jack can hear–_

* * *

Jack bolts upright with a hoarse, wordless scream. There’s a sudden sharp pain in his arm when he swings his legs off the bed. He groans but stands. Equilibrium is an elusive thing and his breath is labored. Jack only barely manages to brace himself against the wall before there are two strong hands around his middle.

Jack tries to wrench away, acting purely on instinct, until he turns and sees Gabriel’s worry-pinched face. The fight in him recoils like a kicked puppy.

“Jack! Jesus, Jack, are you okay?”

“Fuck, I’m sorry, I thought - I thought they had me again.” 

Jack goes limp, expecting the commander to let him go, but instead the man wraps his arms around him and their chests knock together. He stands stock still as Gabriel hugs him close before something in him breaks and he buries his face in the man’s neck. 

It’s been such a long time since anyone has hugged him like this - like he means a damn to them. 

Gabriel is only a little shorter than him, yet Jack feels small in his embrace.

“Everything’s alright,” Gabriel murmurs, each word a warm breath against the top of Jack’s head. “You’re back - I mean, you’re back here. You’re safe. It was a bad dream.”

The stay that way for a while, until Jack’s breathing evens out and he’s confident Gabriel won’t dissolve in his arms and transform into another dream.

“Were you here? The whole time?” Jack asks, pulling away to look at the man.

“I-” There’s a small hesitation. Enough for Jack to wonder if Gabriel’s being completely honest when he mumbles, “I was doing the rounds and heard you.” 

Jack is too tired to argue or press Gabriel for the truth, just as he’s too tired to care about what the commander will think when he leans back in and wraps his arms around the man’s waist. Or tries to before a sharp pain licks up his forearm and a small cry betrays he’s in pain.

“You tore out the drip.” Gabriel lifts his arm like it’s a delicate thing and sure enough, Jack can feel a streak of blood running down his wrist where the IV was hooked in.

“I sure as shit don’t know how to put it back in, but I can wrap a bandage while we wait for Lucio.” Gabriel gently lets go of Jack and makes to call Lucio, but Jack grabs his hand, stopping him.

“No, please don’t wake him,” Jack pleads. “This is already embarrassing enough.”

“Embarrassing?” Gabriel sighs, shaking his head. “Jack. You were kidnapped.” 

Gabriel’s hand falls on his shoulder softly, but his voice is firm, brooking no room for argument. “This is - well, it’s not normal, getting kidnapped, but the trauma is nothing to be ashamed about, okay? I’d be more worried if you didn’t leave with some emotional scarring.”

Jack can only nod; his voice couldn’t be persuaded to come out even if he wanted to speak. There’s a thick cotton ball of emotion stuck in his throat and it only seems to go away after Gabriel has disinfected the wound and covered it up with a bandage.

“Will you stay with me?”

Jack is terrified to ask, afraid that Gabriel will say no, scared by what it means that he’s developed such a dependency on the man in such a short amount of time. 

Everyone’s always needed Jack - his parents, his farm, his animals.

But he can’t remember ever needing someone the way he needs Gabriel Reyes to stay there in that room with him.

“Yeah.” Gabriel’s hand closes around Jack’s wrist, steering him towards the bed. “I’ll stay.”

Jack crawls underneath the covers. He expects the man to return to the chair in the corner of the room, but instead Gabriel kicks off his boots and wordlessly stands there, waiting. Jack understands without needing to ask. There’s barely enough space for one man, let alone two, but he turns on his side and scoots to the edge. A solid warmth presses against his back, and soon after an arm falls around his waist.

When Jack wakes up the next morning, the room is dark and Gabriel is gone, but the warmth lingers, lulling him back to sleep.

* * *

The next time Jack opens his eyes, he thinks it must have been a dream. One long rollercoaster of a dream: starting high, dipping low, and soaring over the top. There’s no trace of the man that spooned around him from last night… except the bandage wrapped around his forearm. Jack stares down at it blankly.

Could he have…?

Sighing, Jack drags himself out of bed to shower. The hot water feels amazing, but it does nothing to clear his head. It still feels foggy when he opens the bathroom door, sees Agent Song standing there wide-eyed, and immediately slams it on her. 

“OH MY GOD!”

“ _Jesus Christ._ ” Jack double-checks the towel his waist. It’s still there, thankfully.

A string of Korean answers back, although it’s muffled through the door, but he hears Hana yell, “Get some clothes ON!”

“I -” Jack stops and sighs, resigned to cracking the door open to reply, “was going to ask Lucio to bring me some fresh clothes.”

“Sheesh. You should’ve just asked me! Hold on, Daddio. B-R-B.”

A few minutes later Hana shoves a pile of clean clothes at him through the door. An awkward apology exchange and some laughter is all it takes to clear the air.

Clothes that fit him aren’t the only things that she brings him. Hana is a devilish angel. There’s a tray of breakfast foods by his bed, along with a fresh mug of coffee. Jack feels almost refreshed by the time Lucio pops in with his headphones to continue the next round of testing.

He’s mildly disappointed that Commander Reyes doesn’t accompany the medic, but Jack isn’t surprised. The man is probably puzzling over how to let him down gently after what happened last night. 

_If anything happened_ , a doubtful voice perks up in the corner of his head.

“Uh - what gives?” Lucio asks, immediately noticing the bandage over his forearm and the disconnected IV.

Jack sheepishly rubs at the side of his head. “Accidentally ripped it out last night after a bad dream.”

“Ouch, that had to have hurt,” Lucio frowns sympathetically. 

“Hey, give the old man some credit. He patched himself up well enough.” 

Jack is happy to chuckle and offer no more explanation than that, and luckily he’s not pressed. Lucio and Hana seem content with the answer and Jack doesn’t want to bring up the fact that their commander deserves all the credit for coming to his rescue. 

When Lucio is satisfied that they’ve done enough testing for that morning, he checks all his vitals and clears him for his guest quarters.

“You wanna give him a tour and show him to his room, Hana?”

Hana gives a mock salute. “I’m on it. Ready, Freddie?” she asks before leading the way for Jack.

It’s almost strange to be walking out of the room he’s been in for days. Jack’s expecting to find himself in surroundings similar to a hospital, but there’s only one large room filled with empty hospital beds and state of the art medical equipment before he’s being shown down a hallway that feels more industrial than anything else. All the walls are brick and metal, without a single window in sight. Hana shows him the mess hall, a cozy recreation room, the gym, and passes over a number of rooms that stay behind closed doors, locked by sensors. It’s smaller than Jack expected for an underground, international agency’s headquarters.

“Oh, this is just a satellite base,” Hana explains when he asks, “but I like it here. It feels more homey, you know? You’re lucky you get a room all to yourself! They stick the junior agents in barracks and Genji snores.”

“I’m not putting someone out, am I?” Jack frowns, brow pinching in worry. “I can just as easily stay in the medbay.”

“No no no!” Hana quickly reassures, arm looping around his with an amount of familiarity that should put Jack ill at ease – but has the exact opposite effect. 

“We have it in case the bureaucrats or diplomats or whatever big wigs come sniffing around.” Hana shrugs. “They check in from time to time. It’s a big pain in the you-know-what.”

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with a little accountability,” Jack reasons. “They’re making sure our tax dollars aren’t being wasted, right?”

Hana rolls her eyes. “More like they come to throw their weight around and test Boss’s patience.”

“Well, I promise to be a better guest than they are.” Jack flashes her a small winsome small, only wincing a little when she squeezes his arm and laughs.

“I guess you’re slightly better than those old geezers.” Hana teases before pulling away and coming up to a door. She presses a card against the sensor before handing it over to Jack, or trying to – he’s too dumbfounded to notice until she waves it in front of him.

The door slides open sideways and the lights automatically flash on like something out of a scifi movie. It's impressive. Heck, sometimes there’s no telling if the lights in his barn are going to switch on or flicker before they go out.

“This is for me?” Jack asks, brows knitting together.

“Yep, this is your new room!”

There’s a dresser, a desk with a digital clock on it, and a bed much larger and more comfortable looking than the one he’s been sleeping in the past few days.

“Is that real?” Jack asks, nodding to the lone window behind the desk. There’s an unnatural beauty to the landscape he sees beyond the window pane. The field is too green, the sky a shade too blue.

“Nope. It’s a fake, but you can change the settings or close the curtains on it if it bothers you. Just helps with the claustrophobia for some people.” Hana shrugs.

“Yeah… I might do that.”

“You need anything else before I leave you be?” 

“Are there some… I don’t know, books I can read? Anything to help pass the time?”

“Books?” Hana makes a face and shakes her head. “I’ll see what I can find, but if you want something to do, there’s a TV in the rec room. We can get pretty much anything you want to watch. Or play. Do you play video games?” 

A smile that can only be described as devious appears on the young woman’s face.

Is there any answer he can give without sounding ancient? “I haven’t played any in a long time.” Jack shakes his head, sitting down on the edge of the bed. 

“Alright, Pops, we can find something classic to play later if you feel like it. I’ll even go easy on you.” 

Jack raises an eyebrow, doubtful, and Hana replies in turn by sticking her tongue out at him. 

It’s the kind of interaction that makes Jack wish he had a large family. A thought that makes his smile hollow out when Hana waves and he’s left alone again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♪~ ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ

**Author's Note:**

> woo! strap in, friendos. we're going for a wild ride.


End file.
